Austin City Limits Music Festival is back at Zilker Park for its 25th anniversary — two weekends, nine stages, and a stacked fall bill. Weekend One is October 2–4, 2026. Weekend Two is October 9–11, 2026. Headliners include Charli xcx, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Twenty One Pilots, Lorde, and The xx, plus weekend exclusives: Skrillex on Weekend One and Kings of Leon on Weekend Two.
BuyTickets.com is an independent ticket resale marketplace, not the official ACL box office and not Front Gate Tickets or Ticketmaster. If you still want a 3-day pass, a single day, or a higher-tier listing after the official sale, compare live inventory on our Austin City Limits Music Festival page. Checkout shows the all-in total before you pay. Every completed order is covered by our 100% ticket guarantee.
We do not claim “no fees,” and we do not promise instant delivery. Festival wristbands are typically mailed in advance of the event. Read the listing notes, then buy only if the delivery method works for your dates.
What Is ACL Fest 2026?
Austin City Limits Music Festival is C3 Presents’ annual two-weekend event in Austin’s Zilker Park. Official ticket pages describe 100+ bands on 9 stages over three days, plus food from local chefs, festival and artist merch, bars, and free water stations. A portion of official ticket purchases supports the Austin Parks Foundation.
This year is the festival’s 25th anniversary. Disney+ and Hulu were named the official streaming destinations for select Weekend One coverage in the May 5, 2026 Live Nation announcement. Full broadcast details were still to come at that time — check ACL’s official site closer to October.
BuyTickets.com has listed live-event tickets since 1999. We are Denver-based and independent. We are not affiliated with ACL Festival, C3, Live Nation, Front Gate Tickets, Ticketmaster, or the City of Austin.
ACL Festival 2026 Dates and Daily Hours
Official festival hours, from ACL’s 2026 dates FAQ:
Weekend One
– Friday, October 2: 12 p.m.–10 p.m.
– Saturday, October 3: 12 p.m.–10 p.m.
– Sunday, October 4: 12 p.m.–10 p.m.
Weekend Two
– Friday, October 9: 12 p.m.–10 p.m.
– Saturday, October 10: 12 p.m.–10 p.m.
– Sunday, October 11: 12 p.m.–10 p.m.
Gates, set times, and last-entry rules can change. Use the official schedule and the Festiverse app before you lock a travel day.
2026 Headliners and Weekend Exclusives
Confirmed in the official Live Nation newsroom announcement and Billboard’s May 5, 2026 lineup report:
- Both weekends: Charli xcx, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Twenty One Pilots, Lorde, The xx
- Weekend One only: Skrillex; The Killers’ Brandon Flowers
- Weekend Two only: Kings of Leon
Also named on that announcement: Turnstile, Labrinth, Lola Young, The Chainsmokers, Geese, Young Miko, Bleachers, SOFI TUKKER, Parcels, The War On Drugs, and Leon Thomas.
The daily grid is now posted at aclfestival.com/schedule. Austin coverage after the August 17, 2026 schedule release flagged the usual ACL problem: headliners overlap. You generally cannot stand at both closing sets. Build your day around one closer, then use the app to catch earlier conflicts (Turnstile / Labrinth / Leon Thomas / The Chainsmokers on Fridays; Lorde vs. RÜFÜS DU SOL on Saturdays; The xx vs. Twenty One Pilots on Sundays).
Weekend One or Weekend Two?
Choose the weekend for the exclusive, not the shared names.
- Pick Weekend One if Skrillex or Brandon Flowers is the must-see.
- Pick Weekend Two if Kings of Leon is the must-see.
- Pick a single day if you only need Charli xcx (Friday), Lorde / RÜFÜS DU SOL (Saturday), or Twenty One Pilots / The xx (Sunday).
Shop the full weekend first, then the day:
How Much Do ACL Fest 2026 Tickets Cost?
Prices move. There is no single “ACL ticket price.”
Official primary market (published starting prices on aclfestival.com/tickets as of this writing):
– 1-day General Admission: starting at $170
– Sunday GovX (eligible buyers): starting at $160
– 1-day GA+: starting at $345
– 3-day General Admission: starting at $390 on the Weekend Two listing shown
– 3-day GA+: starting at $775
– 3-day VIP: starting at $1,760 / $1,850 depending on weekend
– 1-day Platinum: starting at $2,210
– 3-day Platinum: starting at $5,710 / $5,800 depending on weekend
Those are official starting prices, not a promise of what you will pay today. Some 3-day and 1-day types were still listed as available on the official tickets page; others sell out and reopen in higher tiers.
Resale market: Listings on BuyTickets.com are set by sellers and may sit above or below those published starting prices. At checkout you see the total you will pay, including required fees, before you complete the purchase. We do not claim “no fees.” Government taxes and any optional physical-delivery method you choose can sit outside that all-in ticket total — read the order screen.
Do not treat a screenshot or a blog range as live inventory. Open the date and compare current listings.
Official Box Office vs. Independent Resale
Two different paths. Do not mix them up.
Official / primary
– Remaining inventory: aclfestival.com/tickets
– Official help center: support.aclfestival.com
– ACL’s published official resale path is Ticketmaster Verified Exchange / Front Gate order history for tickets originally bought from Front Gate.
ACL’s own wristband FAQ says official sales are final, wristbands are mailed in advance, and the festival directs fans who want “100% confidence” to Front Gate or Ticketmaster Verified Exchange. It also warns that used or counterfeit wristbands from informal resale will not get you in, and that the festival box office will not fix third-party errors.
Independent resale (this site)
BuyTickets.com is not the official ACL box office, not Front Gate, and not Ticketmaster. Listings are third-party resale. If a ticket is counterfeit, does not grant admission (other than because of something you did), or does not reasonably match the listing, our 100% ticket guarantee provides a full refund of the ticket price you paid. Tickets are guaranteed to arrive before the event. Seats in one order are together unless the listing says otherwise.
Read delivery notes before you buy. ACL entry is wristband-based. Official guidance says wristbands typically ship about four weeks before the festival — which is this window. If a listing is digital transfer, will-call, or late physical delivery, make sure that works for October 2 or October 9. Questions: 855-855-6777.
Which Pass Should You Buy?
Match the pass to how you actually spend the day, not the logo on the wristband.
- 3-day GA: Full weekend, all advertised stages, food and bars for purchase, free water stations. Official kids policy: children 8 and under are free in general admission with a ticketed adult, limit two children per ticketed adult, including Austin Kiddie Limits.
- 1-day GA: Best if one closer is the whole trip — Charli xcx Friday, Lorde or RÜFÜS Saturday, Twenty One Pilots or The xx Sunday.
- GA+: Official pages add a lounge and first-come seating on top of GA. Lounge seats are not reserved.
- VIP: Official pages list viewing decks, grove seating, complimentary drinks, and an air-conditioned lounge. Decks and grove seating are first-come, limited capacity. Chairs are not permitted on viewing decks except ADA zones.
- Platinum: Highest advertised tier: front-of-stage viewing at multiple stages, lounge dining, and golf-cart transport between Platinum points, per the Live Nation announcement. Platinum kids rules differ from GA — official copy says kids 2 and younger are free with a ticketed adult; ages 3–8 need a Platinum Kids ticket; 9 and up need a full Platinum ticket.
Hospitality products (Bungalow, Cabana, Speakeasy, Y’all Access, hotel bundles) are sold on the official site and are a different product than a standard resale GA/VIP listing. If a BuyTickets listing is labeled VIP or Platinum, read the row notes. Do not assume hotel, golf-cart, or bungalow amenities unless the listing says so.
How to Get to Zilker Park — and What You Can Bring
There is no parking at Zilker Park or in the surrounding neighborhoods during ACL, per the official transportation and parking FAQs. Plan one of these:
- CapMetro: Official pages point to MetroRapid Route 803 and other routes that run near the park. Check capmetro.org for 2026 service.
- Rideshare: Enter “Austin City Limits Music Festival” or “Zilker Park.” The app should route you to a festival drop-off, not a neighborhood curb.
- Festival shuttles: Official FAQ says to check back closer to the dates for pickup points and hours. Do not assume last year’s Republic Square pattern until ACL posts 2026 hours.
- Walk / bike: Useful if you booked close to the park. Confirm bike parking on the official map; bicycles are not allowed inside the grounds.
Bag policy (official ACL FAQ, subject to change):
– Clutch / fanny pack 6″ × 9″ or smaller: does not need to be clear; one pocket max.
– Larger bags: must be clear and smaller than 12″ × 6″ × 12″.
– Small empty hydration packs are allowed and do not need to be clear (up to two extra pockets plus the reservoir pocket).
– Every bag is searched. Leaving the bag at home is the fastest entry.
Allowed / banned (high-signal items from the official list): empty reusable bottles and hydration packs; chairs without shade structures; small sunscreen. Not allowed: umbrellas, tents/canopies, inflatables, glass, drones, selfie sticks, professional camera rigs, outside food and drinks, pets (service animals excepted). Zilker Park is smoke-free.
Re-entry: After first entry, you may leave and return two additional times the same day. Scan the wristband on the way out and go through security again.
Cashless: Official FAQ states the festival is cashless. Bring a card or mobile wallet. Free water stations are part of the official GA description — fill the empty bottle after you clear the gate.
App: Festiverse is the official ACL Fest app for set times and maps.
October in Austin is usually warm in the afternoon and cooler after dark. There is no roof. Pack a light layer, wear broken-in shoes, and skip the umbrella.
When Is the Best Time to Buy ACL Tickets?
- Now, if you need a specific weekend and a specific tier. Wristbands are in the shipping window. Waiting only helps if you can be flexible on day, tier, or price.
- After the schedule drop (already happened). Day-of demand usually concentrates on the closer you care about. If you only need Saturday, buy Saturday — do not overpay for a 3-day you will not use.
- Closer to the gate, if you can walk away. Resale inventory appears and disappears through show week. That can mean a better all-in number, or it can mean the row you wanted is gone. There is no guaranteed last-minute dump.
- Never from a social DM or a parking-lot wristband. Official policy: a removed or stretched wristband is void. If a listing looks wrong, skip it and call us.
Quick Summary
- ACL Fest 2026: Zilker Park, Oct. 2–4 and Oct. 9–11, 12 p.m.–10 p.m. each day.
- Shared headliners: Charli xcx, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Twenty One Pilots, Lorde, The xx.
- Weekend exclusives: Skrillex (W1), Kings of Leon (W2).
- Official remaining tickets: aclfestival.com. Independent resale: BuyTickets.com.
- No Zilker parking. Clear-bag rules. Cashless. Festiverse app.
- BuyTickets.com: independent resale since 1999, all-in checkout, 100% ticket guarantee. We do not claim “no fees.”
Frequently Asked Questions
When is ACL Festival 2026?
Weekend One is October 2–4, 2026. Weekend Two is October 9–11, 2026. Official hours are 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. each day.
Who is headlining ACL Fest 2026?
Charli xcx, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Twenty One Pilots, Lorde, and The xx play both weekends. Skrillex is Weekend One only. Kings of Leon is Weekend Two only.
Are ACL 2026 tickets sold out?
Some official 3-day and 1-day types have sold or moved to higher tiers; the official tickets page still listed remaining 3-day and 1-day options at the time of writing. Independent resale listings for both weekends are on BuyTickets.com and change throughout the day.
Is BuyTickets.com the official ACL box office?
No. BuyTickets.com is an independent resale marketplace — not ACL Festival, Front Gate Tickets, Ticketmaster, Live Nation, or the City of Austin. Official remaining inventory is at aclfestival.com.
How much are ACL Festival 2026 tickets?
Official published starting prices included 1-day GA from $170 and 3-day GA from $390, with GA+, VIP, and Platinum much higher. Resale prices are set by sellers and may be above or below those figures. Compare the all-in total at checkout.
Do kids get in free?
On official GA, GA+, and VIP copy: children 8 and under are free with a ticketed adult, limit two kids per adult. Platinum uses a different kids rule. Hospitality packages (Bungalow, Cabana, Speakeasy, Y’all Access) require a paid ticket for every guest. Confirm the listing.
What is the ACL bag policy?
Small 6″ × 9″ clutches/fanny packs with one pocket do not need to be clear. Larger bags must be clear and under 12″ × 6″ × 12″. Empty hydration packs have a separate rule. Recheck ACL’s bag FAQ before you pack.
Can I re-enter the festival?
Yes — after first entry, two additional exits/re-entries the same day, with a wristband scan and a security check each time.
What if my event is canceled or the tickets do not work?
If the event is canceled, BuyTickets.com refunds the ticket price you paid. If tickets are counterfeit, do not get you in, or do not match the listing, the 100% ticket guarantee applies. If the event is postponed, tickets are typically held for the new date. Details: buytickets.com/guarantee.
Ready to go? Compare ACL Festival 2026 tickets on BuyTickets.com — Weekend One, Weekend Two, and single days at Zilker Park. Pay the all-in total. 100% ticket guarantee on completed orders. Need a person? Call 855-855-6777.
Disclaimer: This article is not affiliated with Austin City Limits Music Festival, C3 Presents, Live Nation, Front Gate Tickets, Ticketmaster, AXS, or the City of Austin. BuyTickets.com is an independent resale marketplace and not the official ticketing site. Ticket prices may be above or below face value. Always verify dates, tier, and delivery on the listing and on aclfestival.com before you travel.